Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for entertainer. Search instead for painting entertainer.
Synonyms

entertainer

American  
[en-ter-tey-ner] / ˌɛn tərˈteɪ nər /

noun

  1. a singer, comedian, dancer, reciter, or the like, especially a professional one.

  2. a person who entertains; host.

    She was one of the capital's great entertainers.
entertainer British  
/ ˌɛntəˈteɪnə /

noun

  1. a professional singer, comedian, or other performer who takes part in public entertainments

  2. any person who entertains

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of entertainer

First recorded in 1525–35; entertain + -er 1

Explanation

An entertainer is a person whose job or goal is to perform for the amusement of others. If you're an entertainer, you might learn how to tap dance and take singing lessons. If you make your living as a comedian, you're an entertainer. You're also an entertainer if you're a dancer, singer, actor, or puppeteer. In all of these cases, your job is to entertain an audience. You can also call the member of your family who's always trying to make everyone laugh an entertainer. The word comes from the verb entertain, which originally meant "to keep up or maintain," and came to also mean "amuse" in the early 17th century.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing entertainer

History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Children's entertainer Paul Chuckle has said he is "delighted" to be taking part in an upcoming National Theatre tour.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

The longtime prime minister proved to be a better entertainer than he was a builder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Jordan, who won entertainer of the year that evening, went on to secure the sought-after lead actor prize at the 98th Academy Awards in March.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The entertainer was one of the most familiar faces on British TV for several decades before he died of prostate cancer in 2003 at the age of 75.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

He hated everything about the country of the Miss Teen Dream Pageant, except for three things: Elvis Presley, the greatest entertainer who ever lived; reality TV, especially the raucous Captains Bodacious-, and Ladybird Hope.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.